I hav done 5 back to back SETVs with 30 day extension each time without ever being questioned.

Vientiane x1, Penang 3 in a row and just returned from Vientiane.

I always fly. I am from G7. I never have a ticket out of Thailand.

I recommend flying AA to Vientiane. Print out laos VOA form beforehand. It took 30 seconds to clear immigration as everyone else is filling out the form.

Thai consulate took 5 minutes total to apply.

Go inside building, there are two chicks there who you pay 50thb to and they stamp your application.

Then go outside and there is a table with another chick sitting at. Give her passport and since you have whatever stamp I paid for, she takes application and passport and gives you a number. You then go the next day and get your passport.

I do not know why but everyone else was queing probably for hours waiting to apply at the window outside.

I spent less than a minute in Lao VAO immigration process. And 5 minutes the first day and 10 minutes the second.

And i went on a Monday and there were 100+ people there.

The worst part of the trip was I waited an hour in line for thai immigration.

I recommend FAA apartments in vientiane. Like 1000 thb a night but excellent room.

Summary, penang used to be my go to choice because of the agents and visa free entry. But Vientiane is now my go to choice since AA flies there.

OP what time was the AA flight to Vientiane? Did you arrive at the Embassy before 11am on the first day and were able to return to BKK after picking up your PP the next day? If so what time was your return flight?

Timing is not ideal.. i had to arrive on sunday and leave wednesday to make it.

The 2 chicks and 50 Baht, now that is something different and new.

OP what time was the AA flight to Vientiane? Did you arrive at the Embassy before 11am on the first day and were able to return to BKK after picking up your PP the next day? If so what time was your return flight?

A great way to quick check flights like these for days and times and airlines is just Google something like "Flights BKK to VTE" and this little window comes up.

Edited July 28, 20169 yr by csabo

AA timing is not good: you arrive 13.25 VTE, which means you must arrive the night before, apply at the Thai embassy 2nd day morning, pick up the third day afternoon and, because VTE-BKK leaves at 14.15, leave 4th day, which makes three nights in VTE. Better to take AA one way if you must, and return by land, either all the way or as far as KKC, or do DMG-KKC both ways.

The 2 chicks and 50 Baht, now that is something different and new.

Yeah, I'm not familiar with that either. I know the bldg he's talking about, and have gone in there to get copies made, but don't know the "stamp" he's talking about or how it gets you out of having to join the queue, unless it was just a matter of the queue attendants failing to notice him, and he was basically just jumping the queue. But not saying he did so; 'don't know.

Edited July 28, 20169 yr by hawker9000

The 2 chicks and 50 Baht, now that is something different and new.

Yeah, I'm not familiar with that either. I know the bldg he's talking about, and have gone in there to get copies made, but don't know the "stamp" he's talking about or how it gets you out of having to join the queue, unless it was just a matter of the queue attendants failing to notice him, and he was basically just jumping the queue. But not saying he did so; 'don't know.

I believe officially you are paying for them to fill in the form for you. My form was already filled out, but she filled out a new form with identical information. Then stamped a blue consulate logo.

I believe the people who did not do this were given a number and had to queue and then speak to people in those little windows. I was also given a number and they took my application and passport, and was told to return the next day.

Oh and they were charging 20 baht per photocopy when the sign above says 1 baht.